Exposure apparatus and method, and device manufacturing method

Abstract

An exposure apparatus (EX) includes: a substrate holder ( 4 H) that holds a substrate (P) onto which exposure light (EL) is irradiated; and a film formation apparatus ( 60 ) that forms a film of a liquid (LQ) on the substrate (P) before the substrate (P) is held in the substrate holder ( 4 H).

1 . An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a liquid, comprising:
 a substrate holding member that holds a substrate onto which exposure light is irradiated; and   a film formation apparatus that forms a film of the liquid on the substrate before the substrate is held in the substrate holding member.   
   
   
       2 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a first transfer apparatus that carries in the substrate on which the film of the liquid is formed by the film formation apparatus to the substrate holding member.   
   
   
       3 . An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a liquid, comprising:
 a substrate holding member that holds a substrate onto which exposure light is irradiated; and   a first transfer apparatus that carries in the substrate on which a film of the liquid has been formed or is being formed to the substrate holding member.   
   
   
       4 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a measurement apparatus that has a first optical element to be contacted with the film of the liquid, and directs measurement light onto the substrate via the first optical element and the liquid to perform a measurement related to an exposure process, wherein   the measurement apparatus directs the measurement light outside an irradiation region, on the substrate, onto which the exposure light is irradiated.   
   
   
       5 . An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a liquid, comprising:
 a substrate holding member that holds the substrate, on a surface of which a film of the liquid is formed; and   a measurement apparatus that has a first optical element to be contacted with the film of the liquid and directs measurement light onto the substrate via the first optical element and the liquid to perform a measurement related to an exposure process, wherein   the measurement apparatus directs the measurement light outside an irradiation region, on the substrate, onto which exposure light is irradiated.   
   
   
       6 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the first optical element is arranged outside an irradiation region, on the substrate, onto which the exposure light is irradiated. 
   
   
       7 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the measurement apparatus comprises a first measurement unit that measures surface position information of the substrate. 
   
   
       8 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the measurement apparatus comprises a second measurement unit that measures at least one of an alignment mark on the substrate and a reference mark provided on the substrate holding member. 
   
   
       9 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second transfer apparatus that carries out the substrate that has been irradiated with the exposure light from the substrate holding member together with the liquid on the substrate. 
   
   
       10 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second optical element which contacts the liquid and through which the exposure light passes. 
   
   
       11 . A device manufacturing method, comprising:
 providing an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a liquid, the exposure apparatus including a substrate holding member that holds a substrate onto which exposure light is irradiated, and a film formation apparatus that forms a film of the liquid on the substrate before the substrate is held in the substrate holding member; and   exposing a substrate with the exposure apparatus.   
   
   
       12 . An exposure method for exposing a substrate via a liquid, the method comprising:
 holding the substrate in a substrate holding member after a film of the liquid is formed on a surface of the substrate; and   irradiating the substrate with exposure light via the liquid.   
   
   
       13 . The exposure method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the film of the liquid is formed on the substrate during transport along a transfer pathway thereof until the substrate is carried in to the substrate holding member.   
   
   
       14 . The exposure method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 a first optical member contacts the film of the liquid on the substrate held in the substrate holding member, and measurement light is directed onto the substrate via the first optical member and the liquid to perform a measurement related to an exposure process.   
   
   
       15 . An exposure method for exposing a substrate via a liquid, the method comprising:
 holding the substrate, on a surface of which a film of the liquid has been formed or is being formed, in a substrate holding member, and   bringing a first optical member into contact with the film of the liquid, and directing measurement light onto the substrate via the first optical member and the liquid to perform a measurement related to an exposure process.   
   
   
       16 . The exposure method according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the measurement light is directed at least onto a region other than an irradiation region onto which exposure light is irradiated.   
   
   
       17 . The exposure method according to  claim 14 , wherein
 position information of the substrate is measured with projection of the measurement light.   
   
   
       18 . The exposure method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the substrate is held in the substrate holding member so that a surface thereof is substantially parallel with a predetermined surface, and the position information comprises at least one of position information on a direction perpendicular to the predetermined surface and position information within the predetermined surface.   
   
   
       19 . The exposure method according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the measurement light is directed onto the substrate before and/or during the exposure process.   
   
   
       20 . The exposure method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the exposed substrate is carried out from the substrate holding member together with the liquid thereon.   
   
   
       21 . The exposure method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 in the exposure process, a second optical member contacts the film of the liquid, and measurement light is directed onto the substrate via the second optical member and the liquid.   
   
   
       22 . A device manufacturing method comprising:
 providing a substrate; and   exposing the substrate by an exposure process including holding the substrate in a substrate holding member after a film of a liquid is formed on a surface of the substrate, and irradiating the substrate with exposure light via the liquid.